This is how today’s Jets-Bills game at the Meadowlands is going to go: Most of the Jets starters will play, but few will play the entire game — much the way NFL teams play their third preseason game each year.

Mark Sanchez, for example, will start the game and play perhaps the first half, if that. The goal is to play Sanchez and the starting offense long enough to get them into a positive rhythm so they keep some momentum entering the playoffs, which begin next weekend.

Coach Rex Ryan has done his best to convince everyone this week that this is not a bye and it’s not a preseason-like game. He, too, has insisted that winning the game is important to him. If the Jets beat the 4-11 Bills, they will finish 11-5, giving them 11 or more wins for just the fourth time in franchise history.

The reality is the Jets don’t need to win the game and, though there is a scenario that can improve their playoff seeding from No. 6 to No. 5 (a Jets win combined with a Steelers win and a Ravens loss), their seeding doesn’t matter much. They are going on the road for the postseason.

The Jets’ playoff berth is the earliest they have clinched since 1998, when they won the AFC East, and this is a rare regular-season game in which they can coast.

The Bills will be no pushovers despite their struggles. They usually play the Jets tough and have won four of their last six games.

Here’s how we see the game breaking down:

MARQUEE MATCHUP

Jets backup cornerbacks vs. Bills WR Steve Johnson. With Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie not likely to play much, the Jets will be relying on Drew Coleman, Kyle Wilson and Marquice Cole against the Bills’ top gun. Johnson leads Buffalo with 77 catches and 1,001 yards, and all 10 of his touchdowns have come in games against AFC East opponents.

HERE’S THE RUSH

The Jets have ravaged the Buffalo defense with the running game of late, rushing for 1,005 yards in the last four meetings, an astounding average of 251 yards per game. In the teams’ meeting in October, the Jets had two 100-yard rushers, LaDainian Tomlinson (133) and Shonn Greene (117). Those, in fact, are the only 100-yard rushing performances for either back all season. Expect the Jets to rest Tomlinson for most of this game and play rookie Joe McKnight a lot. The Bills’ run defense is ranked last in the NFL, giving up an average of 162.5 yards per game.

LUCK OF THE IRISH

Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is a feast-or-famine player. He makes a lot of big plays, as evidenced by his 23 touchdown passes, but he give the ball away, too, with 15 interceptions and five lost fumbles. Look for the Jets’ defense to force multiple turnovers. Something to watch, though, is Fitzpatrick on third down, where he’s very efficient (nine TDs, four INTs, 93.2 rating). Third down is an area where the Jets defense has struggled this season. Fitzpatrick, who is listed as questionable because of a right knee injury, has a 95.4 passer rating on the road vs. AFC East this season. He also will run with the ball. He’s fifth in the NFL among quarterbacks with 269 rushing yards.

RUSH TO DEFEND

The Jets’ rushing defense has taken a hit of late, causing Ryan to go back to basics in practice during the week. Though ranked fifth in the NFL, they have been gashed by Pittsburgh’s Rashard Mendenhall (99 yards) and Chicago’s Matt Forte (113 yards) in the last two weeks. Look for them to angrily swarm Buffalo lead RB Fred Jackson (892 yards, 4.3-yard average, five TDs) today.

SANCHISE

Sanchez likely won’t play enough to put up any big numbers, but after an abysmal first game against the Bills last season (five INTs, 8.3 rating), his last two games against Buffalo have been sharp (three TDs, no INTs and ratings of 92.1 and 106.4). Look for offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to try to get Sanchez hot early with some short, crisp slant passes and screens so he leaves the game feeling as if he stayed hot.

PAYING THE BILLS

The Bills’ defense, while not ranked highly, can be active, led by some top players. LB Paul Posluszny leads the Bills with 145 tackles. Safety Donte Whitner has 135 tackles. NT Kyle Williams has 14 tackles for losses. And LB Chris Kelsay has five sacks against the Jets.

NUMBER TO KNOW

7. Both the Jets’ Nick Folk and Bills’ Rian Lindell have made their last seven field goals attempts.

FOE FACT

The Bills have gone for it on fourth down 24 times this season, converting just 11.

JETS FACT

After yielding just eight touchdown passes last season, the Jets have allowed 24 this season.

CANNIZZARO’S CALL

Look for the Jets defense to set a tone in this game considering the abuse they have been taking of late after some poor performances, and the emphasis on back to basics this week. Look for the Jets to run the ball well on Buffalo with big games from Shonn Greene and Joe McKnight.